


The Luxury of Feelings

by lotorotor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Biting, Established Relationship, Fluff, Insecurity, Keitor, Love Bites, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, One Shot, Praise Kink, basically they love each other but keith hates himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:19:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotorotor/pseuds/lotorotor
Summary: Keith didn’t know he was beautiful.When he looked in the mirror, he saw straggly hair, sharp edges, a rough past. He saw scars, tired eyes, and the blood of a brutal alien race. When he looked in the mirror, “beautiful” was not the word he would choose to describe himself. “Lonely” or “broken” or “bruised” were better.Or, on some level, Keith doesn't want to allow himself to love someone. However, a certain purple alien is really good at messing up people's plans, especially since he sees Keith as the gorgeous, dynamite man he is. Keith doesn't get it. He really doesn't.





	The Luxury of Feelings

Keith didn’t know he was beautiful.

When he looked in the mirror, he saw straggly hair, sharp edges, a rough past. He saw scars, tired eyes, and the blood of a brutal alien race. When he looked in the mirror, “beautiful” was not the word he would choose to describe himself. “Lonely” or “broken” or “bruised” were better. “Harsh” or “volatile” were good, too.

Keith didn’t expect anyone to want him. He came with baggage, most of which consisted of broken pieces, and he didn’t think anyone needed to deal with that. No one needed to cut themselves on his jagged edges.

So, Keith really didn’t know how he ended up in this position, curled up in the arms of the Galra emperor. He was normally so careful at keeping people at arm’s length, not letting anyone breach his walls. Not allowing himself to become attached, since everyone else had ended up leaving him. Yet, here he was, vulnerable, against his better judgement.

What shocked Keith even more was when Lotor brushed dark strands out of his face, gazing into his eyes, and whispered the word, “Beautiful.” He could only stare and feel his cheeks heat up in an unwanted blush, a damned, involuntary response that revealed way too much about how he felt.

Keith didn’t think he was beautiful. He was rough, scarred, battered, fierce, but not beautiful. Never beautiful.

Lotor was beautiful. He was elegant, graceful, poised, and royal. He was a king, and everyone could feel the power he wielded. It was in his stance, his step, his very being. Yet he was also a weapon, as dangerous as he was ethereal, a beast that was always ready to attack. His claws may be sheathed at the moment, but that could change faster than a blink of an eye.

Somehow, despite the threat that thrummed beneath the surface, Keith felt safe in his arms. He allowed his hand to drift to the purple face that lay inches from his own, fingers ghosting over pointed ears, travelling down cheeks until hovering over parted lips, warm breath enveloping them. He pressed one finger to cupid’s bow before slowly skimming back up and cupping a purple cheek. Lotor’s eyes closed and he leaned into the touch with a content sigh.

“Why?” Keith asked, his voice barely a breath.

Golden eyes opened halfway. “Why what?”

His hand moved again, fingers threading through silky white locks. The half Galra made a content noise in his chest that didn’t sound unlike a purr. “Why me?”

Lotor purred again. “You’re Keith.”

The mentioned boy frowned, his brow creasing. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever met, Keith.” Lotor replied, grabbing his hip with one hand and pulling him closer.

Keith let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m not beautiful.”

Lotor’s hand slid up his body, coming to rest on his upper back, his fingers beginning to gently massage his skin through his black shirt. “If I could kill everyone who’s ever made you feel that way, I would.” He traced mindless designs on his back, his golden eyes burning with sincerity. “You are beautiful. Your eyes.” He pressed a kiss to Keith’s eyebrow. “Your face.” He kissed his nose. “Your body.” He began rubbing his hand down Keith’s back, pausing at his hip before finding its way back up to where it started. “Your mind.” He kissed his forehead. “Even your scars.” He kissed a nick on Keith’s jaw he’d sustained at one time or another. “Everything. Your everything. You’re beautiful.” He leaned in again, hovering centimeters away from his mouth, an unspoken question of permission. Keith’s hand found it’s way to the back of Lotor’s neck, pulling him the rest of the way, lips melding together. The kiss was light and chaste at first, until Keith tilted his head in such away as to deepen the kiss, both of their heartrates speeding up.

He pressed his hand to Lotor’s shoulder, pushing him down onto the mattress. Without breaking the kiss, he climbed on top of the alien, straddling his hips. His hands found their way into long, milky hair, gently tugging the locks, which caused Lotor to make a noise in the back of his throat. The alien grabbed his hips, pressing him closer, trying to eliminate any space between them.

Keith pulled away suddenly, trying not to smile at the annoyed sound his partner made in response. He cocked his head to one side, gazing into hooded yellow eyes. “You know, you’re not bad yourself.”

One elegant eyebrow rose, a smirk settling onto Lotor’s face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, you’re… dazzling.” He brushed his fingers across his cheek.

“Dazzling?” a chuckle rumbled in his chest.

“Dazzling.” Soft lips pressed a kiss to Lotor’s forehead. The alien tilted his head up, mouth searching, a purr rumbling in his chest when he found the lips he craved. The kiss started out slow, loving, soft, until a hunger enveloped the couple, a need for more contact, more heat. Lotor gripped Keith’s shoulders, pulling him closer, lips devouring lips.

“Keith…” he murmured, clawing at his back, slowly losing control. “Keith.”

“Careful,” the man laughed gently against his lips, “you’ll destroy my shirt.”

Lotor huffed impatiently. “Then get rid of it.”

Without being told twice, he stripped and threw the article of clothing to the side. Lotor eyed his torso hungrily, his fingers already tracing the muscles the rippled beneath his skin.

“Oh, god.” He whispered, grabbing Keith and flipping them over so that he was on top, his hair flowing down like a curtain around them. “How did I get so lucky?”

Keith was about to argue that he was the lucky one but was distracted by sharp fangs nipping at his neck, drawing a gasp out of his throat. Lotor sucked at his throat, relishing in the noises escaping Keith, then gently bit down. The half human let out a low moan as Lotor slowly applied more pressure, relishing when the sharp tang of blood hit his tongue.

“Lotor,” Keith gasped, his fingers tangling in his hair. The alien pulled away momentarily, admiring his handiwork, before leaning in and drawing his tongue against the drops of red, kissing the spot once it was clean of blood. He began kissing a trail down his neck, across his collar bone, and lower, pausing to leave a mark in the middle of his chest. Keith moaned, his back arching off the bed.

“You are,” Lotor said, pressing kisses to the man’s body in between words, “the most exquisite creature the universe has to offer.”

“I- I,” Keith tried to speak, but his words were swallowed by purple lips devouring his own. He tugged at the long, flowing hair, trying to press himself even closer to Lotor, basking in the sweet scent that enveloped him. “Lotor…” he sighed.

Clawed fingers traced the contours of his body, the alien pulling back to memorize each shape that made up Keith. His eyes were soft like spring sunlight, and Keith felt himself melting beneath the gaze. He reached out and dragged the tips of fingers along his jaw, marveling at the soft, purple skin.

“Lotor?” he said, his voice soft like caramel. The Galra emperor hummed in response. “I love you.”

It was an admission he never would have expected himself to make to anyone, much less someone like Lotor. People never stayed, and it was dangerous to allow himself to develop feelings for anyone, especially someone as ethereal as Lotor. Especially for someone who could be snatched away in the blink of an eye.

Still, he said it. There was something stirring inside of Keith, something shifting, a yearning that needed to convey to Lotor exactly how he felt. How he felt was so much stronger than three simple words, and he cast around for a way to express himself more fully.

“I love you.” He said again, placing his palm flat against Lotor’s face.

Golden eyes met violet, a myriad of emotions swimming to the surface. “And I love you.” His face stretched into a smile and he leaned his forehead against Keith’s. “I love you so much, my little kitten.”

The pet name brought color to Keith’s cheeks, and he closed his eyes in an effort to hide his embarrassment. Lotor chuckled, running a hand through his dark mullet and leaning down to kiss him again.

Keith didn’t understand how his life had lead to this moment. He didn’t understand how such a _dazzling_ man could look at him and see beauty, see someone worth loving, but as their lips moved in tandem, he figured that maybe, just this once, he could allow himself to indulge in the luxury of feelings.

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to just write pure fluff, but it was 3 am, and my kinks got in the way. I really, really love these boys.
> 
> find me on other sites:  
> tumblr: @glitch-h  
> twitter: @ramone_me  
> dappervolk: UmaNoAshi  
> Instagram: @caramelmacchiatoart


End file.
